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| Andrew Hopkins An Interview with Singer/Songwriter Andrew Hopkins “Outlaw Country that Rocks” By Cynthia B. Gordon |
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 C: Hi Andrew, it’s great to talk to you
today. I hear you’re coming out with a new
“record” soon?A: I have an EP coming out with the first two singles that have been released and some other songs that I’ve written. As of right now, the next single to come out is called “New to Neon.” The first single to come out was “Paint the Town Redneck” and “Stronger than That” is the more recent single. C: Did you write those first two singles? A: I did write the song “Stronger than that” with Steve O’Brien. Steve O’Brien wrote the song, “Paint the Town Redneck.” “New to Neon” was written by Phil O’Donnell. I think a lot of people call him Philbilly down there (in Nashville). C: What inspired your song, “Stronger Than That?” A: Steve O’Brien and I were in a writing room at NSAI and he started a melody and then he left saying I will be right back. When he came back in the room I was singing lyrics to the melody. He asked “Is that the chorus?” I said, “It just came into my head. Yes, that’s the chorus.” We had started on a slower version and I said “I think it’s another honky tonk song about a guy meeting a girl in a bar and starting up a conversation.” C: And you said you’ve been writing some new songs? Are any of them finished yet or are you still working on them? C: A: Yes. Some of them are finished. I haven’t been in the studio yet. I have a couple that are going to be recorded. C: Did you co-write on those songs or write them on your own? A: Some I wrote on my own, and some are co-writes. C: Who are some of your favorite bands and/or country artists to listen to? A: For country music I like some of the “new” guys that do the more traditional country like Tyler Childers and Sturgill Simpson. I like a lot of the older country music too. C: Who were some of your musical influences growing up? A: Well, for country it would be people like Merle Haggard, Hank Williams, Sr., Waylon Jennings, people like that. But I played a lot of metal and rock music; that’s what I started out with - playing guitar before I even started singing. I loved classic rock and metal too. C: How old were you when you first started playing guitar? A: I was around 7 or 8. C: And when did you start singing? A: I was in HS; I was about to graduate High school. C: Did you always know that you wanted to be a singer/songwriter? A: I always figured I’d end up doing something with my music because I didn’t really have a whole lot of intentions on going to college. I took a few classes before I decided what I was going to do. I came home one day and my Mom and I had a conversation about it. She asked if I planned on doing anything with my music. I said, “I’d like to” because I really didn’t know what I wanted to do in school or what I would major in. She said, “We’ll figure something out.” She contacted a lady named Preshias Harris out there in Nashville. C: Yes, I met her recently. So your Mom called her? Did she know her? A: Actually, I was adopted and the lawyer that worked the adoption with my Mom knew Preshias, and that’s how that happened. Small world sometimes! C: So has your Mom been a big influence on your career? A: Oh Yeah! C: Did she give you a lot of support and encouragement? A: Oh yeah. C: That’s good. So what happened when you met Preshias? A: It was two days after I graduated High school. She told me to come down to Nashville and we would meet up (and) we did. We talked for awhile and she went over what I needed to do. C: Have you been recording at the same studio? A: For the studio versions of my songs, I record them with Mark Dreyer. C: Are you performing at clubs at all? A: I have performed around where I am at recently. I’ll be in Nashville in a few weeks; but I do whenever I can. C: How far are you from Nashville? A: I’m in Tazewell, TN. It’s about 4-4 ½ hours from Nashville. C: Do you have any favorite hobbies aside from music to unwind and relax? A: Fishing, hunting…I do a lot of different things. My brother and I love to use our skidsteer, (BobCat). We grade roads, clear off bushes and brush. I like to grade roads because my brother says I really see the lay of the land and exactly how to cut the ground to make it level. C: Who are some of your rock influences? A: When I was younger, my favorite (band) was Led Zeppelin. My brother was more of a Guns N Roses guy. For a long time, we shared a guitar and took lessons from a man named Ben Eller. He still teaches at The Vault in Morristown, TN. He has pretty close ties with a very heavy metal band, “White Chapel.” He was really good friends with all the guys. When I was 13 or 14 taking lessons from him, he got a call from the band and went on tour with them; he toured the East Coast. I thought that was the coolest thing back then! He would send me all kinds of pictures and things; playing all these shows. I was really into metal then and he got me into a seven string Ibanez Guitar. I played a lot of metal! C: You mentioned you and your brother shared a guitar and took lessons growing up, what is your brother’s name and is he older or younger than you? A: His name is Matthew Hopson. He’s 11 months older than me. C: Is he in a band now too? A: No, he plays guitar, but (he’s) not in a band. He loves all kinds of music, including greats like Alan Jackson and Vern Gosden. C: I read what your Mom went through with cancer. Did she survive? A: Yes and she’s honestly probably healthier now than she was before. C: I’m so glad to hear that. So she’s still a big support for you and your music? A: Yes. C: Well, thank you so much Andrew for the interview. We at Country Entertainment USA wish you much success in all you do! A: Thank you! . For more information on Andrew Hopson, check out his website at |
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